1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to three-dimensional imaging. More specifically, the invention relates to capture and distribution of three-dimensional digital images.
2. Background
Pictures have long been used to prove the condition of objects photographed. Such proof may arise in the context of insurance claims, lawsuits, etc. With the advent of digital photography and the proliferation of software for manipulation of digital pictures, the reliability of pictures has diminished and the opportunity for fraud has increased.
In the case of digital pictures, once downloaded from the camera to the computer, the user typically has complete access to all the pixels that make up the image. Thus, a marginally computer savvy teenager with Adobe Photoshop™ can generate very realistic, yet fraudulent digital images. With a host of digital images now posted on the Internet and digital images generally, there is an ongoing credibility gap in connection with the fidelity of such images posted when compared with the image actually captured.